Bin level control



Oct. 14, 1947. E, v, FRANCIS BIN LEVEL CONTROL Filed Sept. 12; 1945 INVENTOR, EAELE V. FQANcls,

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 BIN LEVEL CONTROL Earle V. Francis, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Company, a corporation of Ohio Application September 12, 1945, Serial No. 615,735

Thisinvention relates to a control or switch device for indicating the level or height of material in a bin or other container.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the above mentioned type and particularly one which may be attached to or placed in a bin or container in a plurality of selective positions, two illustrations of which are vertical and horizontal positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch control device in which the sensitiveness of the actuating mechanism may be readily adjusted and in which the control device may be placed in any one of a plurality of different angular positions.

Other objects of the invention wil appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the control device of my invention, with the rear cover removed;

- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view through the device; and V Fig. 3 is a combination perspective and sectional 'view thereof.

The bin level control includes a main frame III which constitutes a significant portion of a housing or casing for the operating mechanism, which housing is completed by a removable cover II and a front flexible diaphragm l2 which is removably attached to an integral flange l3 of the main frame l by a removable ring it and screws or rivets l5.

The frame l6 includes an inwardly extendin flan e |6 provided with a central opening I1, which flange l6 carries a downwardly extending bracket I8 to which an operating plate or member [9 is mounted for swinging or pivotal movement on an axis which is preferably always horizontal or substantially horizontal and is provided by a pivot pin 20 carried by bifurcated arm of the bracket I8, between which arms the operating plate I9 is swingable on said horizontal axis,

The operating plate or member I9 is of generally triangular construction and near its outer end or apex it supports a generally disc-shaped switch carrier plate 2|. Plate 2| is mounted for swinging movement at its center at the apex of operating plate I9 by means of a nut and bolt 22 which may be released to permit swinging of said carrier plate 2| on the horizontal axis of the bolt 22 for a purpose hereinafter explained more completely. The nut and bolt 22 may be clamped to 4 Claims. (01. 200-52) clamp theplate 2| in any position to which itf's adjusted.

' Cooperating with the periphery or rim of the disc or plate 2| is a screw and Washer 23, the screw of which is threaded into a boss on operating plate l9. This screw and washer 23 obviously provide releasable supplemental clamping means for clamping the carrier disc 2| in adjusted position.

A portion of the carrier disc or plate 2| is severed along opposite edges and bent over, providing a shelf 24 which carries a pair of downwardly extending clips 25 adapted to receive and releasably support a mercury tube type of switch 26. Two conductors leading from the tube or switch 26 lead to a terminal block 21 mounted on the flange l6 of the main frame or casing H1. The main frame or casing I0 is also provided with top and bottom threaded openings 28 which are adapted to receive conduits or box-hole connectors selectively so that wiring may be provided to and from the interior of the housing or container provided by the bin control.

To provide for adjustment of the sensitiveness of the device and also to provide proper control of the amount of force necessary to close the switch 26 for various positions of adjustment of the level control device, the operating plate or member 19 also carries a pivoted counterweight or counterbalance 29 which is adjustably mounted onsaid plate I9 by a screw 30. The counterweight 29 includes an integral arm 3| and this provides for swinging of the weight about the horizontal axis of the screw 30 when adjustment of the position of the counterweight and thus its effect is desired. Serrated friction producing means 32 are preferably provided so that when screw 30 is tightened, counterweight 29 will be locked securely in position relative to the plate |9.

Actuating means responsive to liquid or granular material level for operating the plate l9 and consequently the switch 26 under the control of the diaphragm l2 includes a reinforcing diaphragm disc 33. It is also to be noted that the periphery of the disc 33 has a greater diameter than the opening H, as a consequence of which said disc 33 overlaps the flange l6. Furthermore, the periphery of said disc 33 is spaced close to the flange 6 or adjacent portion of the main frame I0 so that inward movement of the diaphragm I2 is limited by the periphery of the disc 33 striking or abutting the frame ID or flange l6. This, of course, protects the diaphragm l2 by limiting the extent to which it can be deflected or stretched by material in contact therewith.

It also protects the internal mechanism by limiting the extent to which it can be moved by movement of the diaphragm |2 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Disc 33 is removably attached to the diaphragm |2 by means of a clamping washer 34 and a screw 35 which threads into a boss in the disc 33 and at its inner end receives a clevis 38 which is pivotally at tached on a horizontal axis to the operating plate l9 by a pin 31. The disc 33 reinforces substantially the entire area of the diaphragm l2, except the exposed and operating outer or peripheral part thereof.

If the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1. and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the diaphragm |2 is substantially vertical or upright and this is one conventional operating position. In such a position the carrier disc or plate 2| is adjusted to the position illustrated in the drawings and as a consequence the mercury switch 26 is held in a position such that its internal contacts are open.

The counterweight 29 is adjusted to such a position that a vertical plane passing through the pivotal axis of the plate l9, disc 2| and counterweight 29, which are rigidly attached to pivot with it about the horizontal aXis of shaft 20, passes near the center of said counterweight 29. Thus the weight of the plate l9, disc 2 switch or tube 26 and all other elements attached rigidly to the plate I9 will exert a predetermined force outwardly against the diaphragm l2. The plate l9 and structure attached to it will be swung about the pivot 2G by a counter force provided by material pressing against the diaphragm l2 and adequate clockwise swinging of said plate l9, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, will be provided to close the switch 26 in response to a predetermined level of material in a bin or container to which the bin level is attached. This force may be provided, for example, by attaching the flange l3 to a vertical wall of a bin or conand the counterweight 29 about the horizontal axis of screw 39 which can be effected by loosening the screw 39, after which it will be tightened to fix the counterweight 29 relative to the plate I9. For example, if the counterweight 29 is eifectively moved toward the diaphragm l2 as by swinging the arm 3| in a counter-clockwise direction, the center of gravity of the composite structure, including the plate l9 and all parts attachedto it, would effectively move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, thus reducing the force necessary to be exerted on the diaphragm 12 to actuate the switch 36. A swinging of the arm 3| in a clockwise direction will produce a reverse condition, requiring a greater force on the diaphragm l2 to actuate the switch 26.

The distance through which the plate |9 must move to actuate the switch 26 may be adjusted by rotation of the disc 2| which will control the nonoperating position of tilt of the switch 25. Thatis, rotating the disc 2! counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, will increase the angle through which plate i9 must move to actuate said switch 25, and clockwise rotation thereof will produce a reverse condition.

As previously mentioned, the bin'levei'indicator may be operated in a great variety of positions. For example, it may be rotated ninety degrees on a horizontal axis parallel with the axis of pin 20. This can be visualized by rotating the drawing ninety degrees counter-clockwise and viewing Fig. 2. Under such conditions it is obvious that the parts must be adjusted to bring them into proper position. To do this, disc 2| is rotated substantially ninety degrees in a clockwise direction. Furthermore, counterweight 29 is adjusted by swinging arm 3| until it is at approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from the position illustrated in said Fig. 2. The important thing in this adjustment of the counterweight 29 is that its center of gravity should be on the lefthand side of a vertical plane passing through the axis of pivot pin 20, with the entire unit considered as rotating ninety degrees as above suggested. This, of course, is necessary to the end that the complete pivot assembly, including the plate l9, disc 2 I, switch 26 and counterweight 29, have a center of gravity which is to the left of the pivot pin 20 (still considering the entire unit r0- tated ninety degrees, as above suggested), to the end that this will produce an outward or upward force on the screw 35 and diaphragm |2 which are to be overcome by the material pressing downwardly on said diaphragm 2.

It is further obvious that, if desired, the unit may be placed in any desired position relative to a horizontal axis parallel with the axis of the pin 20, and by rotating the disc 2| the switch 26 can be adjusted so that it is normally just off of a circuit closing position and can be moved to a circuit closing position by adequate force on the diaphragm l2 overcoming the reaction force provided by the plate l9 and all the parts carried by it, including particularly the counterweight 29. For any position to which the complete unit is adjusted, the disc 2| is always first adjusted so that the switch 26 is slightly off horizontal as it is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings when viewed in its normal position thereon.

After this is done, the arm 3| is swung to effect adjustment of the position of the counterweight 29 so that the complete assembly, including the plate I9, disc 2|, switch 26 and counterweight 29, produces a force with respect to the axis of the pin 20" which is always toward the diaphragm l2 or, in other words, tends to move the diaphragm |2 outwardly against the force of the material which is relied'up to move it inwardly and actuate the switch 26. The amount of this force which is necessary to actuate the switch 26 can,

- of course, be readily adjusted by adjusting the I by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1'. A level control switch mechanism including a frame,- a-member pivotally mounted on said frame on a horizontal-axis, a switch carrier connected to said memb'er for adjustablemovement relative'tl'iereto on a horizontal axis through an angle of at least 180 degrees, means for locking said carrier to said member in any one of a plurality of positions, a counterbalance connected to said member for adjustment relative thereto on a horizontal axis and adjustable to opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the pivotal mounting of said member, a switch mounted on said carrier and operable by tilting of said member about its pivotal axis, and level responsive operative means for tilting said member.

2. A level control switch mechanism including a frame, a member pivotally mounted on said frame on a horizontal axis, a switch carrier connected to said member for adjustable movement relative thereto on a horizontal axis through an angle of at least 90 degrees, means for locking said carrier to said member in any one of a plurality of positions, a counterbalance connected to said member for adjustment relative thereto on a horizontal axis and adjustable to opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the pivotal mounting of said member, a switch mounted on said carrier and operable by tilting of said member about its pivotal axis, and level responsive operative means for tilting said member.

3. A level control switch mechanism including a frame, a member pivotally mounted on said frame on a horizontal axis, a switch carrier connected to said member for adjustable movement relative thereto on a horizontal axis, means for locking said carrier to said member in any one of a plurality of positions, a counterbalance connected to said member for adjustment relative thereto on a horizontal axis and adjustable to opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the pivotal mounting of said member, a switch mounted on said carrier and operable by tilting of said member about its pivotal axis, and level responsive operative means for tilting said member.

4. A level control switch mechanism including a frame, a member pivotally mounted on said frame on a horizontal axis, a switch carrier connected to said member for adjustable movement relative thereto on a horizontal axis, means for locking said carrier to said member in any one of a plurality of positions, a. counterbalance connected to said member for adjustment relative thereto on a horizontal axis, a switch mounted on said carrier and operable by tilting of said member about its pivotal axis, and level responsive operative means for tilting said member.

EARLE V. FRANCIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 993,977 Frasier May 30, 1911 1,892,084 Sprague Dec. 27, 1932 1,911,530 Raisch et al. May 30, 1933 1,951,980 Jacobson Mar. 20, 1934 

